Build Your Smart Home

New Unique Smart Home Products in 2019

There are a lot of new unique smart home products coming out right now, but we’ve picked out some of the most unique and interesting products for you to keep up to date with. We also talk about a very different smart home camera from SimCam. There are so many things to read about.

We’re going to talk to you about:

Amazon Echo Studio and Echo Flex

Nest WiFi Mesh Router

Amazon Eero WiFi Mesh Router

SwitchBot Curtain

Tile Sticker

Wyze Plugs

LIFX Candle Color

Philips Hue Play HDMI Sync Box

SimCam AI Security Camera

Echo Studio

The Echo Studio smart speaker was announced back in September (you can read about the announcement [here]). The Echo Studio will have 5 powerful speakers that will blow your socks off. Amazon’s new smart speaker will be able to tune itself in its surroundings to give you optimal sound quality. The Echo Studio will have a built-in Zigbee Hub to control your devices as well. The Echo Studio smart speaker will be released on November 7, 2019. The Echo Studio will pre-order for $199.99 USD. Pre-order here (Please note that Automate Your Life may receive proceeds from these links): https://amzn.to/2lSBKVr

Echo Flex

Now you can bring Alexa pretty much anywhere you have a power outlet. The Echo Flex is a mini speaker that can go into places like your garage, hallway, pantry, or kitchen. This will allow you to have voice control where-ever you need it. The Echo Flex is on pre-order for $24.99. The Echo Flex can also be retro-fitted with a Motion Sensor and Nightlight. These little Echo Flex should be released on November 14 on Amazon: https://amzn.to/2nmIxr0.

Nest WiFi

We’ve talked about the Nest WiFi Mesh Router for some time on Automate Your Life. We had hoped the Nest WiFi was WiFi 6 capable, but we realize that for the price, you’re still getting a good package with improved speeds and range. The Nest WiFi was designed to be aesthetically pleasing to sit on your shelf, hutch, or furniture. Google Assistant has been integrated into a WiFi point and is backward compatible with its predecessor, the Google WiFi Mesh Router. No need to throw out the older one. The Nest WiFi Router is also fitted with a pretty nice speaker; so Google is thinking about this device as another hub in your home. You can read about the release of the Nest WiFi and other Nest devices in the MadeByGoogle 2019 Event article. The Nest WiFi is available on pre-order. It will be available in 8 countries. The Nest WiFi two-pack will sell for $269, whereas the Nest WiFi 3-pack will sell for $349. You can find them for pre-order here: https://store.google.com/product/nest_wifi.

Eero Mesh WiFi System

You have to remember that the Eero was one of the ‘first past the post’ on with regards to WiFi router/beacons idea, prior to Amazon buying them out. The new Eero Mesh WiFi router has some impressive specifications in contrast to to the Nest WiFi. For starters, it might have the technology built-in to use Amazon’s proprietary Bluetooth frequency (Amazon Sidewalk) – Although they haven’t really advertised it. No WiFi 6 though. We continue to dream. You can shop for the Eero Mesh WiFi System [here].

I wonder what happens when we really get 5G in our homes. Will people try to sell 5G or mobile communications over home WiFi soon? It’s just a thought. Maybe I’ll keep posing that question to the community (community.automatelife.net).

SwitchBot Curtain

The SwitchBot Curtain new device that can replace some of the more complex motorized blinds solutions on the market. The SwitchBot Curtain integrates will be able to integrate with Google Home, Alexa, and IFTTT. The device will have a sunlight sensor and solar panel to keep the automated curtain roller moving throughout the day. There is a Kickstarter campaign to get SwitchBot Curtain integrated with SmartThings (ks.switch-bot.com). Check it out if you want to contribute. SwitchBot says the device should be ready by April 2020.

Tile Sticker

The Tile Stickers are smaller can be put on almost anything. The Tile Sticker is waterproof and has a range of about 150 ft. If you want to compare it to the Tile line of products, you can do that here: Tile with Google Assistant. You can find Tile Sticker (4-pack) on our affiliate link: https://amzn.to/2q3WvPQ

Wyze Plug

Wyze Plugs are trying to get more mainstream in the house. The Wyze Plug may be a good choice when you’re on vacation. The Wyze Plug has a random vacation setting that can turn on and off at random times to turn your connected lamp or light on and off. In the meantime, the Wyze Plug can also respond to the Wyze sense system to turn on your devices with motion detection. It looks like the Wyze Plug is seeing some success in the smart home automation space. you can find the Wyze Plug 2-Pack for $20 on our affiliate link here: https://amzn.to/2r0VKYt

LIFX Candle Color

LIFX has come out with the Candle Color bulb. The bulb is housed in an E12-Edison fitting. The LIFX Candle Color boasts 16 million colors and runs a number of custom effects. There is no hub required for the bulb – it has built-in WiFi, so it can integrate with an automation ecosystem of your choice. Each bulb costs $45 and is available on our affiliate link [here].

SimCam AI Camera

SimCam AI compares quite nicely to the competition. You can see the comparison on their website: https://www.simcam.ai/compare. You’ll notice that the SimCam has pretty much every feature under the sun and still offers a subscription-less, cloud-free environment. You can check them out on our Amazon Affiliate site [here].

Chamberlain RJ070 Next-Gen Wi-Fi Garage Door Opener

This wall-mount design of the Chamberlain RJ070 frees up space on your ceiling. It works with the MyQ system. The RJ070 has an Automatic Garage Door deadbolt lock.

You will be able to give Amazon a ‘key’ to ensure you have safe in-garage deliveries for Amazon Prime packages. You’ll get realtime updates. This should be an interesting new way to have your packages delivered. Pretty interesting how companies like Amazon are finding ways to integrate their service into devices like the Chamberlain RJ070 Garage Opener.

Philips Hue Play HDMI Sync Box

Philips Hue Play HDMI Sync Box will take an HDMI signal to convert into an entertainment lighting experience when you’re watching your favorite show or syncing up to your Nintendo Switch playing BOTW. The price tag is $229. You can find it on the Philips Meet Hue website [here].

New Unique Smart Home Products in 2019

There were a ton of new products to talk about this week. Knowing that there is another security camera option (SimCam) that is competitively priced is exciting. Waterproof Tile devices and improved WiFi Mesh tech just mean more connectivity to your smart home devices. Then there is a wall-mount garage opener (RJ070) that works with Amazon to get your packages safe. There is some exciting lighting entertainment options in the LIFX Candle Color and Philips Hue Play Sync Box. I hope that you find something that interests you.

Are you unsure about putting a smart speaker or a smart display in your home? “Should You Buy a Smart Speaker (Google Home or Amazon Echo – Is This the Right Tech For You?” is on sale now on Amazon. It’s free with Kindle Unlimited. Find it on Amazon US, Amazon UK, and Amazon Canada.